Truth be told there are few of us that can claim to have lived the lifestyle we always wanted. But Jason Meadows has now and has always been a cowboy. From the age of six Jason’s been riding and roping. But on top of that, he’s a natural musician. While doing both well might be an incredible chore for most of us Jason manages to do this feat fantastic.

Straight off the farm in Calera, Oklahoma, Jason shares many of the same character traits of each successful country performer before him. Those traits include a firm family foundation and a love of most music,. His brother and three sisters give Jason a chance to sing along to the country greats. He says, “Me and my sisters would listen to old records by Hank Sr. and Jr., Conway Twitty and George Jones. I sang along and they began to realize I could really sing.”

Visits to his grandfather’s house each summer also gave Jason the chance to work on his talent. “I couldn’t wait to get there because my cousin played guitar and grandpa played harmonica and fiddle. I would try to learn as much picking as I could.”

Jason took every opportunity to learn more about music as he grew up. When he got to high school Jason began to sing at roundups, state fairs and other events. This didn’t mean he ignored his agricultural background. “Growing up we learned to rope and ride, and we took part in rodeos pretty much every weekend. I spent a lot of my time in the Vo-Ag building and with the FFA(Future Farmers of American, learning about animals. I played basketball in high school but sometime around my senior year, I was making more money team roping than playing basketball.”

Making the decision to go from one sport to another might seem easy compared to Jason’s next professional challenge: fronting for a band at 16. He says, “ I had the biggest time. I was just ate up with it because I got such a response from the crowd. It really lit a fuse in me.”

Right after that Jason began to play several nights a week. During that time he began to sing with a band called Heart Talk. Jason, by this time, remained drawn to both riding and music. Music, though, did take a front seat when it came to making money. The lady who helped Jason get his big start in Music City was none other than Reba McEntire. During one of his shows at Twister’s in Pittsburg, Kansas, she sent some of her people to hear Jason sing. Next thing you know Jason’s on his way to Nashville. “I flew to Nashville, found a job as a construction worker, and told the man I’d be back in a month’s time,” he says. “I went back home, loaded up everything I had, and hitched a ride with a friend hauling a horse trailer to Nashville.”

Jason began singing demos and making the contacts he required to get a start in the business. Even though everything seemed to be moving in the right direction for him, as all of us know nothing ever moves fast enough, subjectively speaking. He thought of moving back to Oklahoma. But right around that time Jason met producer Nick Pellegrimo. Jason says, “We let him listen to what we had. Nick heard the potential and took it to the next level. Thank God he did.” Many people who heard the demos being shopped encouraged Jason to tryout for Nashville Star. While he didn’t think this was a great idea at first, he changed his mind. “Finally I just took the shot and I’m glad I did. I was hoping to get into third or fourth place and get some exposure. But I just kept pushing and would up in one of the show’s top two slots.” Finishing in second on season three of Nashville Star is not too shabby when you look at the competition.

After getting the push of Nashville Star’s exposure Jason went on tour. Not only did his onstage skills attract some impressive audience numbers while on the road, he did get nearly 7000 people to come out for a record setting show at his hometown stadium of Choctaw Coliseum. Of his performing and touring Jason says, “I was born to do this. When I step out on that stage, it’s kind of like stepping up to the edge of the Grand Canyon. You look out and it takes your breath away.”

Jason’s CD, 100% Cowboy, is exactly as advertised. The whole CD is a great life of life from the saddle. Well, that is if you have a guitar handy. Songs like the title track, as well as “Country As A Dirt Clod”, and, “Where Did My Dirt Road Go”, give us the chance to take a look at the world through the eyes of a person who values the road he’s traveled while looking forward optimistically toward the future. The whole CD is definitely worth a listen.